Hani language

Hani
Haqniqdoq
Native to	Laos, Myanmar, South China, Vietnam
Ethnicity	Hani
Native speakers	770,000 (2007–2019)[1]
Language family	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Lolo–Burmese Loloish Southern Hanoid Hani
Language codes
ISO 639-3	hni
Glottolog	hani1248

The Hani language (Hani: Haqniqdoq or xa31 ɲi31; simplified Chinese: 哈尼语; traditional Chinese: 哈尼語; pinyin: Hāníyǔ; Vietnamese: Tiếng Hà Nhì) is a language of the Loloish (Yi) branch of the Tibeto-Burman linguistic group spoken in China, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam by the Hani people.

Distribution

In China, Hani is spoken mostly in areas to the east of the Mekong River in south-central Yunnan province, mostly in Pu'er and Honghe prefectures, as well as in parts of other surrounding prefectures. Hani is also spoken in Lai Châu and Lào Cai provinces of northwestern Vietnam and in Phongsaly Province of Laos along the border with Yunnan.

Edmondson (2002) reports that the Hani of Vietnam are distributed in two provinces of northwestern Vietnam where two distinct dialects are found, one east of Muong Te and the other to the west. The Hani of Vietnam claim to be able to communicate in the Hani language with ethnic Hani from different areas of Vietnam despite significant geographical barriers. Edmondson (2002) reports that the different Hani speech varieties in Vietnam differ mostly in lexicon.

Phonology

Hani has three main tones and two types of short vowels.

Consonants

Consonants of the Luchun dialect

		Labial		Alveolar		(Alveolo-) palatal	Velar
		plain	pal.	plain	sibilant
Plosive/ Affricate	voiceless	p	pʲ	t	ts	tɕ	k
	aspirated	pʰ	pʰʲ	tʰ	tsʰ	tɕʰ	kʰ
	voiced	b	bʲ	d	dz	dʑ	ɡ
Fricative	voiceless	f			s	ɕ	x
	voiced				z		ɣ
Nasal		m	mʲ	n		ȵ	ŋ
Approximant				l		j

Vowels

Vowel length in Hani is also distinctive.^[2]

Vowels of the Luchun dialect

	Front		Central	Back
High	i			ɯ	u
Mid	e	ø		ɤ	o
				ɔ
Low			a
Syllabic	ɹ̩

		Front	Back
Diphthong	Close		ue
	Mid	ie	iɤ	iɔ
	Open	ia	ua

Orthography

Oral tradition tells of an ancient written script for Hani but says it was lost when the Hani migrated from Sichuan. In China, Standard Hani, which is based on the Lüchun County dialect, is written using a Latin-based script developed by the Chinese government during the 1950s. As with the Latin-based scripts of the Zhuang, Hmong and Iu Mien languages, it uses final consonant letters to represent tone.

Consonants in Hani orthography are pronounced the same as in pinyin, with two additional digraphs for voiced fricatives in Hani. The IPA equivalents for letters in Hani orthography are provided below.^[3]

Hani	IPA
hh	ɣ
ss	z

The vowels in Hani orthography are as follows.^[3] After vowels, -v is used to mark tense vowels.

Hani	IPA
a	a
ao	ɔ
e	ɤ
ee	ɯ
ei	e
i	i
o	o
u	u
yu	ø
ii	ɨ

There are four tones, which are marked by letters at the ends of words, or not at all for the mid-level [33].^[3] Numerical Chao tones are provided below.

Hani	IPA
l	[55] (high level)
(none)	[33] (mid level)
q	[31] (low falling)
f	[24] (rising)

Sample text

Hani	English
Aqsol liq yoqdeivq yoqpyuq bo, meeqyaovq ssolnei colpyuq qiq kov dei. Davqtavcolssaq neenyuq bel neema meeq ya siq, laongaoq meilnaol nadul meil e gaq ssol hhyul hha bavqduv nia.	All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

See also

• Hani languages

Notes

References

External links

OfficialRegional

ARs / SARs	CantoneseHK/MC EnglishHK MongolianNM PortugueseMC TibetanXZ UyghurXJ ZhuangGX
Prefecture	Hmong Kam Bouyei Tujia Korean Qiang Yi Kyrgyz Kazakh Tai Nüa Tai Lü Zaiwa Lisu Bai Hani Zhuang
Counties/Banners	numerous

Indigenous

Sino-Tibetan languages Lolo- Burmese Mondzish Kathu Maang Manga Mango Maza Mondzi Muangphe Burmish Achang Xiandao Pela Lashi Chashan Lhao Vo Zaiwa Loloish Hanoish Akeu Akha Amu Angluo Asuo Baihong Bisu Budu Bukong Cosao Duoni Duota Enu Habei Hani Honi Jino Kabie Kaduo Lami Laomian Laopin Mpi Muda Nuobi Nuomei Phana’ Piyo Qidi Sadu Sangkong Suobi Tsukong Woni Yiche Lisoish Eka Hlersu Kua-nsi Kuamasi Laizisi Lalo Lamu Lavu Lawu Limi Lipo Lisu Lolopo Mangdi Micha Mili Sonaga Toloza Xuzhang Yangliu Zibusi Nisoish Alingpo Alugu Aluo Axi Azha Azhe Bokha Gepo Khlula Lope Moji Muji Muzi Nasu Nisu Nuosu Phala Phola Phowa Phukha Phuma Phupa Phupha Phuza Samei Sani Thopho Zokhuo Other Gokhy Katso Kucong Lahu Naruo Namuyi Naxi Nusu Samu Sanie Zauzou Qiangic Baima Choyo Ersu Guiqiong Horpa Japhug Khroskyabs Laze Lizu Na Muya Namuyi Naxi Pumi Northern Qiang Southern Qiang Shixing Situ Tshobdun Zbu Zhaba Tibetic Amdo Baima Basum Central Tibetan Choni Dao Dongwang Drugchu Groma Gserpa Khalong Khams Kyirong Ladakhi Tseku Zhongu Zitsadegu Other Bai Caijia Derung Jingpo Longjia Nung Tujia Waxianghua

Other languages Austroasiatic Bit Blang Bolyu Bugan Bumang Hu Kuan Mang Man Met Muak Sa-aak Palaung Riang U Va Wa Hmong-Mien Hmongic A-Hmao Bu-Nao Gejia Guiyang Hm Nai Hmong Hmu Huishui Kiong Nai Luobohe Mashan Pa-Hng Pa Na Pingtang Qo Xiong Raojia She Small Flowery Xixiu Younuo Mienic Biao Min Dzao Min Iu Mien Kim Mun Mongolic Bonan Buryat Daur Eastern Yugur Kangjia Khamnigan Monguor Oirat Ordos Santa Torgut Kra-Dai Zhuang Bouyei Dai Min Ningming Nong Tai Dam Tai Dón Tai Hongjin Tai Lü Tai Nüa Tai Ya Yang Yei Other Ai-Cham Biao Buyang Cao Miao Chadong Cun Gelao Hlai Jiamao Kam Lakkja Mak Maonan Mulam Naxi Yao Ong Be Paha Qabiao Sui Then Tungusic Evenki Manchu Nanai Oroqen Xibe Turkic Äynu Fuyu Kyrgyz Ili Turki Lop Salar Western Yugur Other Sarikoli (Indo-European) Tsat (Austronesian) Formosan languages (Austronesian)

MinorityVarieties of
ChineseCreole/MixedExtinctSign